Reviewed case brief
Grey v. Pearson
(1857) 6 HLC 61
(1857) 6 HLC 61 · House of Lords
- Court
- House of Lords
- Year
- 1857
- Subjects
- Interpretation of Statutes
- Reviewed
- 2026-08-02
Rule established
Origin of the Golden Rule. Lord Wensleydale's formulation: ordinary meaning prevails unless it leads to absurdity, repugnance, or inconsistency, in which case the grammatical meaning may be modified to avoid such result.
Facts
Issues
Held
Ratio decidendi
How to use it in an exam
Editorial source
(1857) 6 HLC 61; standard textbook authority
Educational summary only. Read the reported judgment or an authorised law report before relying on the case professionally.